Valerian Persecution

Valerian’s conflict with the Persian Empire arose as part of a larger struggle between Rome and its eastern neighbor over control of territories and influence. In 253 AD, Valerian assumed power as emperor during a time of crisis for the Roman Empire. The eastern provinces were being invaded by the Sassanid Persians under their king, Shapur I. Valerian led a military campaign against the Persians, but his forces were defeated, and in 260 AD, he was captured by Shapur in a battle near Edessa. Valerian became the first Roman emperor to be taken as a prisoner of war, an unprecedented humiliation for Rome.

Valerian’s decision to persecute Christians was likely driven by the internal instability of the empire. Beset by external threats and internal division, he may have viewed Christianity as a destabilizing force. Christians refused to participate in Roman state religion, including sacrifices to the Roman gods and emperor worship, which Valerian likely saw as a threat to the unity and security of the empire. His persecution was an attempt to reassert traditional Roman values and suppress what he saw as a subversive influence.

The persecution unfolded in two stages. In 257 AD, Valerian sent his first edict to the Senate, ordering Christian clergy to perform sacrifices to the Roman gods or face exile. A year later, in 258 AD, he intensified his measures with a second edict that targeted not only clergy but also Christian senators, equites, and members of the imperial household. These high-ranking Christians were ordered to renounce their faith and worship the Roman gods, or they would face loss of status, property, and eventually execution. Christian women who refused to apostatize faced banishment, and Christian civil servants were reduced to slavery and forced to work on imperial estates.

Several martyrs became notable examples of this persecution. In 257, Saint Prudent was executed at Narbonne. In 258, a wave of executions included Pope Sixtus II, who was captured while celebrating Mass and executed along with four deacons. Saint Lawrence, another deacon, was executed shortly afterward, famously being roasted alive on a gridiron. Other prominent martyrs included Saint Denis in Paris, Saint Cyprian in Carthage, and Saint Romanus in Rome. The persecution extended into 259 AD, with executions such as Saint Patroclus at Troyes and Saint Fructuosus at Tarragona.

Valerian’s persecution ended with his capture by the Persians in 260 AD. His son, Gallienus, who took over as emperor, rescinded the anti-Christian edicts, effectively ending the persecution. Valerian himself died in captivity under humiliating conditions. According to Roman sources, Shapur used Valerian as a human footstool when mounting his horse, and after his death, Valerian’s body was allegedly flayed and his skin displayed as a trophy—a final indignity for the once-powerful emperor.